Stock tank heater



Feb. 26, 1957 R. F. BROYHILL STOCK TANK HEATER Filed Feb. e, 1953 U! M w w m j .1 I11: .l

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m. T m w Nr 4 F W W/ w FTTOR/VEY United States Patent srocx TANK HEATER Roy F. Broyhill, Dakota City, Na.

Application Febrnary6, 1953, Serial No. 335,559

1 Claim. or. 126-360) Myinvention relatesto a stock, tank heater.

vAn object of my invention is to provide a stock tank 'heater1having several desirable features, one featureof which is that the heater requires only a minimum space.

A further object of my invention is to provide a heater including a flue pipe, which flue pipe includes features for draining off the condensation which usually occurs at the upper portions of flue pipes in heaters of this type.

A further object of my invention is to provide a special baflle structure for obtaining the maximum heat effect.

A further object of my invention is to provide a special type of air intake arrangement for the heater.

A further object of my invention is to provide a burner arrangement of maximum efliciency.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a sectional view taken along the lines 1--1 of Figure 2 of the stock tank heater as attached to a stock tank wall, and

Figure 2 is a plan view taken in section substantially along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

My invention contemplates the provision of a stock tank heater having a variety of special features rendering the heater more efficient as to the heating effect thereof, as well as convenience in installing the same, and wherein the unit will occupy a minimum space.

I have used the character to designate a vertically positioned chamber, which is substantially rectangular in shape, and which includes the end walls 11, side walls 12, and a bottom wall 13, the bottom wall continuing forwardly to the point 14, one of the end walls 11 continuing forwardly in the portion 15 and terminating at 16, and at the further forward wall 17, this portion having the side walls 18, this arrangement thereby providing a substantially L-shaped structure.

Attached at 19 is a vertical cylindrical pipe 20 communicating through the wall 15 at 21, and spaced from the pipe 20 is a further cylindrical pipe 22, the pipes 20 and 22 being spaced by means of the spacer members 23, which can be L-shaped in order to provide a lower opening at 24 beneath the pipe 22, the spacing between the pipes being indicated by the character 25.

Welded at 26 to the pipe 22 is the vertically positioned pin 27 upon which rotates the collar 28 and which rests upon the nut 29, and attached to the collar 28 is the hood 30 having the diverging sides 31, and welded to the hood 30 is the wind-operated vane 32, this vane serving to maintain the hood in such a direction that the wind will not blow therein, thereby protecting the upwardly rising draft in the pipes 20 and 22. A baffle member 33 is attached at its upper and lower edges to the walls 13 and 15, but does not extend entirely across 2,782,781 Patented Feb. '26., 1957 the lower chamber, thereby leaving the openings at 34 (see Figure 2).

The wall 11 includes a slot 35 for the reception of the pipe 36 which passes to the gas fuel supply of the unit, the lock nuts 37 serving to secure the arrangement, the-pipe 36 passing to 'the'various control-s, etc., indicated generally by the character 38, which in turn communicate with a vertical pipe 39 which communicates at 40 to the horizontal pipe 41, which pipe 41. coinmuni- "cates at 42 with a laterally positioned pipe 43which is closed at its outer ends, and communicating with the pipe 43 are the upwardly positioned orifices :44 and 'the lower orifices 45.

Punched from the two sidewalls 12 and .Lthe forward wall 11 arethe portions 46 which thereby leave openings at 47 communicating into "the vertical chamber 10. A lid 48 covers the top of the chamber "IQ-which can be hinged "if desired.

A baffle plate 49 receives the tube 41 and includes the open slot portion 50 so that the baflle can be placed in position when desired.

The character 51 indicates a pair of straps upon which the side portions 46 rest for supporting the unit, and these strap members include the equally spaced pairs of openings 52, 53 and 54. The straps are welded to the vertically positioned angle irons 55, and threadably engaging the webs of the angle irons are the threaded studs 56 having the turning heads 57.

Passing through the openings 53 and 54 as shown in Figure 1 are the lengthened bolts and nuts 58.

It will be noted that these brackets will support the entire unit from one of the end or other walls 59 of the stock tank, in this case the tank wall being in the nature of a concrete wall, with the end of the'stud 56 being turned in tightly against the wall, or against small blocks placed against the wall. In the event that it is desired to support the arrangement against a relatively thin wall, such as a sheet metal wall of a stock tank, the chamber 10 can be placed between the openings 52 and 53 and with the bolt and nut arrangements 58 being placed through these openings so that the wall of the chamber 10 can then be engaged tightly with the stock tank wall and with the same studs 56, this arrangement then providing an adjustment for practically any wall thickness which can be accommodated consistent with the length of the stud 56 and the positions that the chamber 10 can be placed in.

It will be noted that the foregoing structure provides a unit which is compact in shape, the L shape requiring only a limited space and yet allowing the fuel to burn under the necessary conditions. The fuel gas usually supplied, as a rule, contains a certain amount of water vapor therein, which water vapor condenses at the upper end of the exit flue pipe, and thereby drains downwardly into the combustion chamber. When condensation occurs on the inner surface of the pipe 22, the condensate will run down through the space 25 and outside of the pipe 20 and thence will pass in the form of water through the openings 24 back into the water 60 of the stock tank, this feature thereby providing means for eliminating the objectionable condensate and the effects caused thereby. Due to the fact that the opening 25 is somewhat restricted, the oily residue from the condensate, which normally will float at the top of the water in the space 25, will not escape and contaminate the tank.

It will be noted also that the heated air or combustion travels around through the openings 34 and thence upwardly through the pipe 20, in this way providing a more tortuous passageway to cause more heat to pass through the walls of the unit by providing a larger heating surface.

It will be thus noted that my type of stock tank heater provides the advantages mentioned in the objects of my 7 invention, with further advantages being readily apparent,

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

inlet openings at upper portions thereof, a fuel burning unit mounted in said vertical chamber and in a portion of said horizontal chamber, a bafiie plate positioned betweensaid chambers, a flue pipe communicating with said horizontal chamber, a bafile member positioned laterally across said horizontal chamber and being of lesser width than said chamber to provide a tortuous passageway for heated air passing upwardly through said flue pipe, a further pipe enclosing said flue pipe and spaced therefrom to provide means for draining condensation downwardly and externally of said flue pipe, the lower end of said further pipe being spaced above said horizontal chamber to permit drainage into the water of a stock tank, said flue pipe extending upwardly to a height above the open upper end of said stock tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 610,561 Phelps Sept. 13, 1898 731,921 Leach June 23, 1903 1,397,831 Allsteadt Nov. 22, 1921 1,628,980 Hope May 17, 1927 2,247,239 Keating June 24, 1941 2,382,579 Queirolo Aug. 14, 1945 2,525,213 Doolin Oct. 10, 1950 2,657,682 Fransen Nov. 3, 1953 

